When you own your home, the responsibility for keeping the plumbing running smoothly is on your shoulders. By following a few simple plumbing tips, you can make that job a lot easier.
Keep Up on Plumbing Maintenance
Hair, soap scum, and food waste are common causes of clogs. Keep these out of your drains by using drain strainers and cleaning the strainers weekly. Wipe your greasy pans with paper towels instead of pouring the grease down a drain or the toilet. Never throw anything besides toilet paper into the toilet.
Prevent frozen pipes by maintaining an indoor temperature no lower than 13 even when you’re away from home. On especially cold nights, open cabinet doors to let warm air reach the pipes and let water drip from the faucet farthest from where the water enters the house.
Schedule a professional plumbing inspection every year. This inspection will alert you to problems such as deteriorating pipes before they cause any major trouble.
Act Fast When Problems Pop Up
To prevent a clogged toilet from overflowing, turn off the water at the shut-off valve. Once the water in the bowl has receded, make sure there’s no foreign object, such as toothbrush, lodged in the drain. Stuck objects can often be sucked out with a wet-dry vacuum. If you don’t see anything, use a plunger or plumber’s auger to loosen the clog. If this doesn’t work, it’s time to call a plumber.
If a drain is running slowly, pour in 1/2 cup each of baking soda and vinegar, and let the mixture fizz up for 10 minutes before thoroughly rinsing the drain with hot water. Even when the drains seem clean, doing this every couple of weeks helps prevent clogs. If the drain still runs slowly, remove and clean the P-trap in the pipes under it.
Shower heads and sink aerators that spray unevenly are most likely clogged with mineral scale, which can be removed by an overnight soaking in vinegar.
For more handy plumbing tips and help with plumbing care, contact us at Arpi’s Industries anywhere around Calgary.
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